Wireless network configuration using path loss determination between nodes

• US 9,973,943 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2016
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airspan IP Holdco LLC (Airspan Networks Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Airspan Networks Inc.
• Inventors: Lysejko, Martin, Logothetis, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Smarth, Gerald A
• Application Number:
  US15/187,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20160381591A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/06 allowing pivoting
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/24 Acquisition or tracking or demodulation of signals transmitted by the system synchronisation aspects of direct sequence spread spectrum modulation H04B1/7073
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/53 Determining attitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/043 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/14 Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction aerial arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00; combinations of different interacting aerial units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q21/29; aerials or aerial systems providing at least two radiation patterns H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0247 Determining attitude
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/02 Arrangements for de-icing; Arrangements for drying-out ; Arrangements for cooling; Arrangements for preventing corrosion
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1207 for fastening a rigid aerial element
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1228 on a boom
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1257 using the received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/50 Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/00 Antenna arrays or systems arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/08 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path waveguide fed H01Q21/0037
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/205 providing an omnidirectional coverage turnstile aerials H01Q21/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/002 : providing at least two patterns of different beamwidth; Variable beamwidth antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/005 : providing two patterns of opposite direction; back to back antennas H01Q25/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/02 : using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/04 : for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/10 : to produce a conical or spiral scan
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/12 : using mechanical relative movement between primary active elements and secondary devices of antennas or antenna systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 : varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 : varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2611 : Means for null steering; Adaptive interference nulling
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/36 : with variable phase-shifters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0456 : Selection of precoding matrices or codebooks, e.g. using matrices antenna weighting
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 : for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0621 : Feedback content
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0691 : using subgroups of transmit antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0695 : using beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0817 : with multiple receivers and antenna path selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/086 : using weights depending on external parameters, e.g. direction of arrival [DOA], predetermined weights or beamforming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0874 : using subgroups of receive antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/088 : using beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 : for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 : the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 : Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 : specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 : using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 : Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 : Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 : Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0236 : radio quality, e.g. interference, losses or delay
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 : using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0284 : detecting congestion or overload during communication monitoring arrangements H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 : Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 : using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/06 : based on traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 : in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 : using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/02 : Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 : using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 : adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20 : Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating

Abstract

A method and corresponding apparatus are provided for network configuration selection in a wireless network comprising a plurality of nodes. A subset of the nodes are configured to simultaneously participate in a sounding process, in which a node of the subset omni-directionally transmits a predetermined signal and in which other nodes of the subset of nodes sample the predetermined signal as received by an omni-directional antenna array of that node. Measurement reports are received from the subset of nodes, each measurement report comprising a signal source angle and a received signal strength. A path loss is determined in dependence on each measurement report to generate a set of path losses covering a plurality of transmitter node receiver node pairs. Then a directional configuration is selected for a directional antenna of each node of the subset of nodes for data transmission in dependence on the set of path losses.

Claims

1. A method of network configuration selection in a wireless network comprising a plurality of nodes, the method comprising the steps of:

configuring a subset of nodes of the plurality of nodes to simultaneously participate in a sounding process, in which a node of the subset omni-directionally transmits a predetermined signal and in which other nodes of the subset of nodes sample the predetermined signal as received by an omni-directional antenna array of that node;

receiving measurement reports from the subset of nodes, wherein each measurement report comprises a signal source angle and a received signal strength;

determining a path loss in dependence on each measurement report to generate a set of path losses covering a plurality of transmitter node receiver node pairs; and

selecting a directional configuration for a directional antenna of each node of the subset of nodes to use in data transmission in dependence on the set of path losses.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sounding process is a multiple step sounding process, wherein at each step of the multiple step sounding process only one node of the subset of nodes transmits the predetermined signal.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the sounding process the predetermined signal transmitted by each node of the subset of nodes is unique to that node and the subset of nodes transmit their unique predetermined signals concurrently.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the directional antenna is configured to be rotationally positioned, and the directional configuration comprises a rotational position for the directional antenna.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising selecting at least one transmitter node receiver node pair to use in data transmission in dependence on the set of path losses.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the directional configuration comprises a beam pattern for the directional antenna.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising calculating a predicted received signal strength at a receiver node when using a first beam pattern for the directional antenna of a transmitter node and a second beam pattern for the directional antenna of the receiver node,

and selecting the directional configuration for the directional antenna of each node of the subset of nodes to use in data transmission is performed in further dependence the predicted received signal strength.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein generating the set of path losses generates an estimated path loss between all pairs of nodes in the subset of nodes.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein determining the path loss is performed in dependence on a transmission power and antenna gain of the transmitting node and a reception antenna gain of the receiving node.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein configuring the subset of nodes to simultaneously participate in the sounding process comprises defining a trigger type for initiation of the sounding process.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the trigger type is arrival of a predetermined start time.

12. Apparatus for configuration selection in a wireless network comprising a plurality of nodes, the apparatus comprising:

transmission circuitry to transmit a sounding configuration to a subset of nodes of the plurality of nodes to cause the subset to simultaneously participate in a sounding process, in which a node of the subset omni-directionally transmits a predetermined signal and in which other nodes of the subset of nodes sample the predetermined signal as received by an omnidirectional antenna array of that node;

reception circuitry to receive measurement reports from the subset of nodes, wherein each measurement report comprises a signal source angle and a received signal strength;

calculation circuitry to calculate an path loss in dependence on each measurement report to generate a set of path losses covering a plurality of transmitter node receiver node pairs; and

selection circuitry to select a directional configuration for a directional antenna of each node of the subset of nodes to use in data transmission in dependence on the set of path losses.

13. Apparatus for configuration selection in a wireless network comprising a plurality of nodes, the apparatus comprising:

sounding schedule generation circuitry arranged to transmit a sounding configuration to a subset of nodes of the plurality of nodes to cause the subset to simultaneously participate in a sounding process, in which a node of the subset omni-directionally transmits a predetermined signal and in which other nodes of the subset of nodes sample the predetermined signal as received by an omni-directional antenna array of that node;

backhaul self-organising network engine circuitry arranged to receive measurement reports from the subset of nodes, wherein each measurement report comprises a signal source angle and a received signal strength;

the backhaul self-organising network engine circuitry further arranged to calculate a path loss in dependence on each measurement report to generate a set of path losses covering a plurality of transmitter node receiver node pairs; and

the backhaul self-organising network engine circuitry further arranged to select;

a directional configuration for a directional antenna of each node of the subset of nodes to use in data transmission in dependence on the set of path losses.